Summary: | In recent years, much attention has been dedicated to finding techniques to reduce exposure doses. This work examines the effectiveness of using serpentine concrete to shield a neutron source using a 241Am-Be neutron source facility at the National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI) as a case study. The results obtained for both neutrons and gamma indicate that serpentine concrete provides better shielding as compared to ordinary concrete. At a distance of 100 cm from the Am-Be source, when shielded with serpentine concrete, it was found that personnel will receive an average gamma dose of 4.395.395 ± 0.122 μSv/h while a dose of 10.399 ± 0.083 μSv/h will be received for ordinary concrete shield. The average neutron dose equivalent at 100 cm, for ordinary concrete and serpentine concrete were 32.189 ± 0.277 and 9.276 ± 0.505, respectively. All dose equivalents obtained were also within internationally accepted limits.
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